An encapsulated electronic module, such as an electronic power converter module for example, may comprise a printed circuit assembly over-molded with an encapsulant to form some or all of the package and exterior structure or surfaces of the module. Encapsulation in this manner may aid in conducting heat out of the over-molded components, i.e., components that are mounted on the printed circuit assembly and covered with encapsulant. In the case of an electronic power converter module, the printed circuit assembly may include one or more inductive components, such as inductors and transformers. Encapsulated electronic power converters are described in Vinciarelli et al., Power Converter Package and Thermal Management, U.S. Pat. No. 7,361,844, issued Apr. 22, 2008, assigned to VLT, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. and incorporated by reference in its entirety (the “Converter Package Patent”).
Methods of over-molding both sides of a printed circuit board assembly while leaving opposing regions on both sides of the printed circuit board free of encapsulant are described in Saxelby, et al., Circuit Encapsulation Process, U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,600, issued Mar. 17, 1998 and Saxelby, et al., Circuit Encapsulation, U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,009, issued Jun. 11, 2002 (collectively the “Molding Patents”) (both assigned to VLT, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. and incorporated by reference in their entirety).
Protecting an over-molded permeable magnetic component from mechanical stress by use of a compliant buffer coating is described in Lofti et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,569, “Encapsulating Package for Power Magnetic Devices and Method of Manufacture Thereof” Combining an un-encapsulated permeable magnetic component and an over-molded circuit assembly is described by Vinciarelli et al, in Power Converter Configuration, Control and Construction, U.S. Pat. No. 7,236,086, issued Jun. 26, 2007; and Power Converter Having Magnetically Coupled Control, U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,531, issued Mar. 27, 2001; both assigned to VLT, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. An inductive charger including a permeable magnetic component in which a surface of the magnetic component may be exposed after over-molding is described in Abbott et al, Inductive Coupling Wand Having a Molded Magnetic Core, U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,483.